Winter's Fist

The journey returning from the Kobold village was harsh. The weather has been more awful than normal. There hasn’t been a hint of blue sky in three days. Three days ago Alexander Roderic was defeated.

You are greeted by Tanner Leaves the town registrar. He inquires about your exploration of the humanoid village. He suspects you’re greeting in the town was not welcomed. Digging for information he pesters Jonathan, believing he’d be the most likely of the party members to talk.

Your interaction with Tanner Leaves ends with him telling you Robelt Adellberry wants to hear every detail about your exploration and to report to him immediately.

As you enter the governor’s chambers you can see Ight Dweisenhour speaking with Robelt. They hear the cling of your armor as you enter. They turn, the General goes silent. Robelt speaks.

<dm-pc>

The governor is apparently displeased with your report, and makes another request. He wishes for your party to investigate some more disappearances, this time at Winter’s Grasp Ravine. He offers you generous compensation upfront.

The party is met outside the keep. A guard gives the party a large horse, with bright war dress on. The horse pulls a low flat platform that drags along the ice. There is a large iron chest on the sled. Upon inspection you find an enormous amount of precious gems and ore. It must weight nearly 1000lbs.

Before leaving the town you are met by Lieutenant Piercefellows. She is the leader of the militia that guards Winter’s Fist. She speaks about the strange weather, and the odd behavior of the General. When asked my the adventurers if she could provide them more horses, she says that every horse is issued to militia members and there are none to spare. She offers her horse, under the condition that she accompanies them.

The Ambush

The party heads west toward Winter’s Grasp Ravine. As you’ve come to expect from this land, nothing is right next door. The mine is a day and a half journey from Winter’s Fist. The weather remains cold, overcast, and down right dreary. You can barely make out the western road traveled by miners and militia men. The trees are few, but every one along the way bares the mark of the Winter’s Fist Militia to mark the path.It’s late afternoon when you arrive at the entrance to the ravine. It’s wide and well traveled. The walls of the ravine are covered in thick sheets of ice. Ice sickles hang down, some as large as buildings.

As your party arrives near the pump house, you’re surrounded by giant canyon walls, the same walls you’ve seen since you entered the ravine. The valley floor is composed of frozen earth dotted by gravel and other stones. Near the walls is a slope covered with snow, frozen, thawed, and refrozen with every afternoon.

Dragonborn Gladiator – “Greetings swine! What an interesting predicament you face. Your meddling has destroyed our master’s servant, but if you though Roderic was impressive, you will surely faint at the strength of our master. Unfortunately, this is your end…unless.”

A tall slender humanoid figure walks near to the leader. He appears to be dragging a body. The leader grabs the beaten and bruised small humanoid body.

“Avenger! Paladin! It’s my understanding that you follow Bahamut. Is that correct?”
“He’s the god of justice, protection, nobility, and honor?”
“Where was Bahamut for this poor pitiful creature? Does he look protected? Are his afflictions just? Your mission is meaningless, you serve a god who is either too impotent to help or too depraved to care. Turn from Bahamut! The Raven Queen is always faithful, she is the only one who keeps her word. Renounce Bahamut and you shall live and this pitiful dwarf shall live…for now.”

The blood of this soul is on your hands. Psion! Ranger! The zealotry of a blind faith, not of your own, will be the cause of your demise!"

The remaining archers appear on the cliff face. One pulls back and with deadly aim pierces the heart of the dwarf. The leader takes the dwarf and chucks him over the cliff.

As the archers take aim our adventureres begin to back track up out of the ravine. Meanwhile, Jael is shot at repeatedly by the archers above. Brother Jonathan is able to deflect and take much of the damage on his own, yet Jael is still badly injured by the first assault.

Mysteriously, many of the archers and two of our party members disappear. It’s suspected the Urstora the Pendulum may have had something to do with it.

The fight breaks down to two militia archers, the gladiator, Iago, Jael, and Carrie Piercefellows.

Jael made an amazing move and knocked both archers down into the ravine. The Gladiator attempted to surprise the party by jumping off the cliff voluntarily. His attempt to land and take minimum damage was failed. Right behind him jumped Iago, landing violently on top of the gladiator and driving his Radiant Semitar into his chest.

The Gladiator was subdued, and the archers surrendered.

Jael attempted to use the collar on the unconscious gladiator. The gladiators physical being evaporated leaving only a spirit beast of the same resemblance.

Session 4

Posting what I had written for our last session. If anyone wants to add to this to reflect your own experience, please do so.

It’s been what seems like years since our brave adventurers defeated the kobold jailers and rescued that Goblin guy from his captors. Time and space seem indescript. It’s as if the party had walked through a tear in time.

A veil of darkness begins to lift from our party’s minds. The first sensation is audible. The sound of a barren tree, beating its branches together to the rythem of the wind. A fire crackles. The smell of fresh meat skips in and out of their noses. Feet track through the slush and snow.

As your eyes begin to focus, you see you’re in a small structure. It appears temporary. Several branches are tied together to form a circle. Animal hides cover the structure. In the center of the ceiling is a small hole for smoke. Each hero lay along the peremeter of the structure.

Outside:
Standing outside the tent you see a bright sky, it’s filled with vibrant colors; gold, red, and whites. 100 feet away, the ground seems to disappear. There is one lone pine tree upon this plateau. There is snow, as white as light, packed upon the ground. A soliatary figure stands facing the horizon, its back toward you.

Urstora has saved them from time. They were stuck in one moment for far to long. No one but her knows why or how. She has brought them to this place, where time is under her control and where change only happens when she allows it.

Skill Challenge – Dialogue – To Begin Again
When I found you, you were stuck, captured by your own indifference.

Reward:She will address each character and give them 1 more heroic tier feat of my choosing.
Brother Johnathan Brandis:
Iago – Your heart is strong and your purpose clear. You wear the pendant of a servant, a gift from a defector. You will find satisfaction in your future, though your heart cease to beat and only throb in saddness.
Tryn – Once you were so small, agile, and clumsey. I know you are different, from core to skin. Keep close watch on your companions, for they need you now more than ever.

They have been captured Urstora the Pendulum. The primary focus of this encounter is dialogue. If anyone tries to attack the captor they will be incapacitated. She rescued them from the city before they were lost in time. No one remembers exactly what happened.

Let’s say someone roles for an attack against her. If they role a 17-20 they’ll receive something special.

Session 3

On a foggy morning our adventures were appointeted to meet General Eight Dweisenhower for sparing before they were sent out to investigate the mysterious settlement South West of Winter’s Fist. Tryn St. Abbinu, Brother Jonathan Brandis, Iago the Brave, and A’ender faught well against the dwarven militia members.

Tryn took quite a beating and nearly fell out of the match. If not for some near misses by the dwarven artillerymen Tryn may have been knocked out of the competition.

After the sparring match our adventures sent out for the town. With their faithful mule along for company, they spent 3 days out in the cold harsh environment. When they approached the town, they saw large rock debris and ruins. Built within the peremeter of the stones was a fairly large town, with buildings constructed of animal hides and wood.

Before entering the village, Tryn entered to investigate the structures. She found Kobolds going about their lives conducting routine tasks; laundry, cooking, and trade.

Brazenly, A’ender and Iago walked down main street Koboldville. They receieved odd stares from the citizens as if they had cholera.

Toword the end of the first street the adventurers investigated a delapidated stone building that appeared to be a barracks or jail. Upon entering the building they encountered four kobold guards and a goblin prisoner, Spork Cogwobble.

They valiently defeated the guards and nearly lost Spork when one of his captors attempted to escape through the hole in the wall Tryn had created.

They discovered from Spork, that he is an engineer seeking out materials for his “projects”.